My Mind Words Paper:
uk literature

(Note: Individuals should ascertain their eligibility to work in the UK in this post before applying for a London based job with Amnesty International by using the points based calculator at http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/pointscalculator.)

As a research-based campaigning organization, investigating and documenting human rights issues is fundamental to our advocacy and lobbying work. Our West Africa team requires a researcher to take the lead in initiating human rights research and action by providing regional and thematic expertise, excellent research skills and sound political judgement. A campaign oriented approach to your work is essential. You will be required to conduct and co-ordinate research activities, monitor, investigate and analyse political, legal and social developments and human rights conditions, give authoritative advice on these areas and prepare human rights action materials.

TITLE: Researcher, Nigeria

ABOUT YOU:

With experience of working on human rights issues, you must have first-hand in-depth knowledge and experience of Nigeria and experience of working on economic, social and cultural rights issues. You’ll have a background in activism, academia, law or journalism with the ability to identify and thoroughly investigate those issues and ensure our voice has authority. You will need proven research and communication skills, impartial political judgement, coupled with strong strategic thought. Fluency in English is essential, including excellent writing skills.

ABOUT US:

Our aim is simple: an end to human rights abuses. Independent, international and influential, we campaign for justice, fairness, freedom and truth wherever they’re denied. Already our network of almost three million members and supporters is making a difference in 150 countries. And whether we’re applying pressure through powerful research or direct lobbying, mass demonstrations or online campaigning, we’re all inspired by hope for a better world. One where human rights are respected and protected by everyone, everywhere.

JOB PURPOSE:

As Amnesty International's lead expert on specific countries or other geographical or thematic areas, to lead on the development and implementation of overarching research and campaigning strategies to deliver impact in relation to agreed priorities, providing research expertise, research management, political judgment and analytical, communication and representational skills.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

Reporting to - Programme Director / Deputy Programme Director

Posts that this job manages - This post has no line management responsibility. However, the researcher participates in the coordination of the work of the team, other participants in research and campaigning projects, temporary staff and team volunteers.

Other key relationships - The researcher works in close collaboration with the campaigner and the research and campaign assistant and, where relevant, other posts in the International Secretariat and in the Amnesty International movement.

JOB DESCRIPTION

To lead on the development and implementation of overarching research and campaigning strategies to deliver impact in relation to agreed priorities on specific countries or other geographical or thematic areas, including strategies to identify the most effective ways to address human rights concerns; and to lead on designing specific projects and producing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating plans for both these and initiatives originated by others

To monitor, research, investigate and analyze human rights-related developments in order to provide timely, accurate, independent and impartial assessments and expert advice on the human rights situation in the relevant countries or other geographical or thematic areas

To organize, take part in and lead, where agreed, field research and other missions, leading specifically on information-gathering, fact-finding, analysis and assessment of human rights concerns, including in response to crisis situations; prepare, where necessary, security assessments, political and other briefings in relation to the mission for International Secretariat management, mission participants and internal or external stakeholders; and represent Amnesty International in the field

To represent Amnesty International to external stakeholders, including in governmental, inter-governmental and various public forums, as well as to all forms of news media, civil society organizations and political, economic and other actors; and to communicate Amnesty International's concerns, positions and, where relevant, campaign strategies to external and internal stakeholders

To develop and maintain effective constituencies of public and confidential contacts and partners in and outside the organization - such as human rights activists, members of legal and other professions, United Nations agencies and governmental representatives - to optimize information gathering and verification and the development and implementation of effective strategies and plans

To write reports and other materials for publication and internal use and contribute to and provide expert advice in relation to written and other materials produced by other programmes

To manage research, oversee the research work carried out by the team and others and, as appropriate, to contribute to the selection of external consultants and supervise, support, coordinate and provide expert advice on their work

To contribute to the development and maintenance of an effective information management system

To contribute to the development of programme-wide strategies and plans for research and campaigning and provide input into internal discussions on the Amnesty International mission, policy, organizational and other issues in order to increase the effectiveness of Amnesty International's work

In consultation with management, to participate in the coordination of the work of the team, including through setting priorities, preparing work plans, monitoring their progress and contributing to maintaining basic budgets

To contribute to the overall flexibility of resource use and provide cover for other programme staff as agreed with management

To perform all necessary administrative tasks to ensure effective self-servicing, participate in the recruitment and induction of new staff and consultants and perform other corporate tasks as appropriate.

WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE IN THIS JOB?

A successful researcher will have developed and implemented an effective and deliverable strategy on the countries, other geographical areas or themes in her/his brief; produced, implemented, monitored and evaluated related action plans within set deadlines; practised rigorous analysis and identified critical issues in a timely fashion; maintained and developed effective networks and written high quality reports and other materials for publication and internal use; and effectively represented Amnesty International and communicated its key messages.

S/he will have contributed to the effective functioning of the team, and to the implementation of Amnesty International's mission, upholding Amnesty International's values at all times.

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

Proven experience of undertaking research on human rights or related issues with an ability to develop effective strategies to impact on human rights in the region;

Specialist knowledge and preferably first hand experience of the geographical and/or thematic areas in your brief and an in-depth understanding of the nature of key human rights concerns, as well as political, social, legal, economic, cultural, ethnic, racial and gender issues in them;

Ability to exercise good political judgment, thorough analysis and diplomacy;

Ability to represent Amnesty International to external stakeholders; and to communicate Amnesty International's concerns, positions and, where relevant, strategies to external and internal stakeholders;

Proven experience of writing research materials for a variety of audiences;

Ability to understand and express ideas in English and, where applicable, other relevant languages, in a fluent, clear and concise way, both orally and in writing; draft text in a variety of styles, e.g. documents such as substantial reports, government correspondence and media and action materials;

Ability to deal in a sensitive and understanding manner with a variety of people, including survivors of human rights violations and others who may be distressed;

Experience of working in a team and understanding of the importance of efficient communications for the coordination and effective functioning of teams;

Demonstrated commitment to human rights, e.g. through previous work, membership of an organization, involvement in advocacy of human rights, etc.;

Experience of managing conflicting demands, meeting deadlines and adjusting priorities;

Ability and willingness to undertake personal administrative tasks in accordance with Amnesty International's guidelines on self-servicing;

Understanding of equal opportunities, cultural diversity and gender issues as well as a commitment to apply relevant policies;

Terms and Conditions Salary: Full time salary of £41,124 per annum (pro rata for part time staff)

HOURS: 35 hours per week

LOCATION: London with possibility of relocation to the global south or east at a later date

CONTRACT DURATION: Fixed term contract of two years in duration

HOLIDAYS: Full time staff receive 27 days per annum plus two Amnesty International grace day and statutory and national public holidays.

OFFICE HOURS: 09.30 - 17.30 or 10.00 - 18.00 by arrangement

LIFE INSURANCE: Amnesty International provide a Death in Service benefit of 4 x gross salary.

PENSION: After six consecutive months of service staff are automatically enrolled in the Amnesty International Superannuation Scheme. This is a defined contribution to which Amnesty International contributes 7.5% of gross salary and will match individual employee contributions up to an additional 3%.

PROBATION: A six month probation period will be included in the contract for this position.

RELOCATION: A relocation assistance package will be available for staff members (and their dependents) recruited from over 80km/50 miles from the International Secretariat office in which the post is based.

HEALTH AND SAFETY: All staff are required to comply with Amnesty International's policy and rules relating to Health and Safety and its security regulations at work.

EQUALITY STATEMENT: Equality and diversity is at the core of our values and staff, volunteers and interns are expected to work collectively and individually to promote a constructive and sensitive approach to others from a variety of backgrounds, where the work of others is valued and respected.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST: Public or other activity, affiliation to or support for any group or organization, personal association or other factor which may generate a real or perceived conflict of interest with AI's principles (specifically independence and impartiality), or raise a security concern, or otherwise prevent the candidate from carrying out key functions of the specific post and would therefore disqualify the candidate from being appointed.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For submissions: via Amnesty International's career site here (search for keyword 732BR)

Website: http://www.amnesty.org/

Deadline: 8 June 2012

Evolving African Film Cultures: Local and Global Experiences, a conference organised by the Africa Media Centre, University of Westminster

Date: Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 November 2012

Venue: University of Westminster, Regent Campus, 309 Regent Street, London, W1B 2UW

This is the first call for papers for a two-day conference on changes in African film and television production and, of equal importance, the transformation of African film audiences in local and global contexts. African film production, distribution and consumption have been more noticeable in the West African region, as showcased by biennial exhibitions at the FESPACO festivals in Burkina Faso. Arguably, such festivals have encouraged a type of production that is admired by Europeans, but which is rarely available to, or appreciated widely by audiences in those productions’ countries of origin. Portuguese and Arab-speaking regions in Africa have also developed diverse and high quality film cultures, but their experiences need to be debated within a wider context. More recently, Anglophone regions, led by Nigeria, have developed popular commercial film models which have been enthusiastically received by African audiences. One could say that African film markets have been rapidly expanding, with many implications for film and policy makers, distributors and audiences.

Since 2000, audiences for African film elsewhere in the world have grown in size. Such expansion has implications for film content, form, production strategies, distribution mechanisms and policy frameworks. African filmmakers have to delicately negotiate widening markets, for instance, by paying more attention to the political economy of film consumption in the rapidly changing local and global contexts. The digital economy, especially the internet, has opened up huge opportunities for the wider distribution of African film. Papers may focus on, among other topics, the following:

• Production cultures and circulation of film;

• History, myth and identity in African film;

• The representation of African cultures in film;

• Audiences, reception and sites of spectatorship;

• Indigenous language films and the problems of subtitles and illiteracy.

• Morality and spirituality in African cinema;

• Exhibition, financing and distribution of African film;

• Cinema and digital technologies;

• Film festivals and the development of national cinemas in Africa;

• Revenue, business models and piracy

• Auteur, film genres and form

• Collaborative filmmaking in the global north/trans-national collaborations

• African film philosophy

• The image, sound, written and spoken word in filmic narratives

• Institutions, policies and film agencies

DEADLINE FOR ABSTRACTS

The deadline for submission of abstracts is Friday 8 June, 2012. Successful applicants will be notified by Monday 18 June, 2012. Abstracts should be 300 words long. They must include the title of the conference, presenter’s name, affiliation, email and postal address, together with the title of the paper. Please ensure when saving your abstract that your name is part of the file name.

PROGRAMME AND REGISTRATION

This two day conference will take place on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 November, 2012. The fee for registration (which applies to all participants, including presenters) will be £140, with a concessionary rate of £60 for students, to cover all conference documentation, refreshments and administration costs. Registration will open in September 2012.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: Helen Cohen, Events Administrator, at journalism@westminster.ac.uk

Website: http://www.westminster.ac.uk/research/a-z/africa-media-centre

Deadline: 31 August 2012

CiS is an international network of those concerned with the relationship between science and Christian faith, open to scientists, teachers, students and all those with an interest in this dialogue.

The subject up for discussion is Science and Faith and essays can address any topic which falls under this general heading.

The author of the winning essay will receive a £200 Amazon gift voucher and will have their essay published on the CiS website and in our newsletter PréCiS. The author of the 2nd place essay will receive a £100 Amazon gift voucher and will have their essay published on the CiS website.

To be eligible the author must have been enrolled on a course at a higher education institution for the 2011 – 2012 academic year and essays must not exceed 1000 words (excluding title, bibliography and references).

Submissions should be sent to the Development Officer at becky@cis.org.uk by midnight on the 31st August 2012.

RULES AND GUIDELINES

1. Entrants must be enrolled on a course at a Higher Education institution for the academic year 2011 / 2012.

2. Your essay must be no more than 1000 words long (excluding title, bibliography and references) and must be written in English. Entries exceeding this word limit will not be accepted.

3. Your entry must be submitted electronically as a .doc or .docx file to the CiS Development Officer at becky@cis.org.uk by midnight on the 31st August 2012, with ‘CiS Essay Competition’ in the subject field.

4. The first page of your entry must clearly state the following:

- Your name
- Your university
- Your course
- Your year of study
- Your email address
- Your telephone number (landline or mobile)
- A statement indicating that the essay is your own original work

None of these details should appear on subsequent pages.

5. Your essay must be an original piece of work which has not been submitted to a previous CiS competition. No part of the material you submit may be previously published, nor can it be the winner or finalist of any previous writing contest.

6. Judging will be by a panel of CiS committee members and trustees, whose decision will be final.

7. The author of the winning entry will receive a prize of a £200 Amazon voucher and will have their essay published in the CiS newsletter, PréCiS and on the CiS website. The author of the second place essay will receive a prize of a £100 Amazon voucher and will have their essay published on the CiS website. No alternative prizes are available. The winning and second place essays may also be published in God and Nature Magazine (godandnature.asa3.org/).

8. You retain the copyright to your work, but CiS reserves the right to print, reprint, and distribute all submitted entries at any point in time, regardless of whether or not they are prize-winning pieces.

All entries will be published in booklet form and made available at the CiS student conference unless the author requests to be excluded from this at the time of entry.

Download: reference formatting guidelines

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: becky@cis.org.uk

Website: http://www.cis.org.uk

Deadline: 1 June 2012

The SI Leeds Literary Prize is a new prize for unpublished fiction by Black and Asian women resident in the UK aged 18 years and over.

The prize aims to act as a loudspeaker for Black and Asian women’s voices, enabling fresh and original literary voices from a group disproportionately under-represented in mainstream literary culture to reach new audiences.

The inaugural prize will be awarded in October 2012, and will consist of:

• £2,000 to the winner
• £750 to the runner-up
• £250 as a third prize

HOW TO ENTER

The prize is open to Black and Asian women writers aged 18 or over, based in the UK and writing fiction in English. Only unpublished original work is eligible for the prize. The fee per entry is £15. To find out if you are eligible to enter, please check the eligibility section.

All entries must be made by post using the entry form and cover sheet, and have to be submitted before the closing deadline of 1 June 2012. All submissions must be made following the format set out in the rules, so please read these carefully before you apply. If you have any queries about the format or timescale for the prize, please contact us.

AM I ELIGIBLE TO ENTER?

The Award is open to published and unpublished women writers, over the age of 18, of Black or Asian descent who are resident in the UK. Ethnicity will be self-defined by entrants. As a guideline, Black or Asian descent in the context of the Award signifies any Black background.

The Award is open to unpublished novels and/or collections of short stories of any genre of no less than 30,000 words. Manuscripts that have been previously published will not be eligible. However, whilst the main body of the novel or collection of short stories should comprise unpublished work, submissions will be accepted where no more than 25% of the work has been previously published. Manuscripts currently available for sale online, either in full or in significant proportion (i.e. more than 50% of the total manuscript) will be ineligible. Manuscripts either partially or wholly available online for no charge will be eligible.

Memoirs, biographies and autobiographies are not eligible.

Entries must be in English.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

1. THE AWARDS

1.1 All entries will be read to create a long list of 12 titles for the judges. The best entries will be forwarded to the judges who will compile a shortlist of 6 outstanding works of fiction submitted for the SI Leeds Literary Prize 2012 (“the Award”), from which they will select a winner, a runner-up and a third placed entry.

1.2 The winning award is £2,000 and this will be presented to the author of the best
eligible novel or collection of short stories in the opinion of the judges.

1.3 There will be a runner-up award of £750 for the second placed novel or collection of short stories.

1.4 There will be a third place award of £250 for the remaining shortlisted novel or
collection of short stories.

1.5 In addition to the cash awards Peepal Tree Press will offer the winning, runner-up and third placed authors 2 one-to-one consultancy sessions in professional development support through its Inscribe programme. With the winner’s consent, the winning manuscript will be given serious consideration for publication by Peepal Tree Press.

1.6 In addition the winner, 2nd and 3rd prize winners will be invited to read short
extracts from their work at the 2012 Ilkley Literature Festival.

2. ELIGIBILITY

2.1 The Award is open to published and unpublished women writers, over the age of 18,
of Black or Asian descent who are resident in the UK. Ethnicity will be self-defined by entrants. As a guideline, Black or Asian descent in the context of the Award signifies

- any Black background, including:-
- Black African
- Black Caribbean
- any other Black background
- any Asian background, including
- Bangladeshi
- Indian
- Pakistani
- Thai
- Malay
- Philippine
- Vietnamese
- Chinese
- Japanese
- countries in the Middle East
- any other Asian background
- any mixed background, including
- Asian and White
- Black and White
- Any other background from more than one ethnic group.

Under the terms of Positive Action in the Equality Act 2010, these eligibility criteria are justified on the following grounds:

• That the Award Partners reasonably think that Black and Asian women writers suffer a disadvantage linked to their race and gender, and have a disproportionately low level of participation in the UK writing industry and bestseller lists

• That the action taken by the Award Partners encourages this group to overcome this disadvantage and encourages participation

• That the prize is a proportionate response to the issue.

2.2 The Award is open to unpublished* novels and/or collections of short stories of any genre of no less than 30,000 words.

2.3 *Manuscripts that have been previously published will not be eligible. However, whilst the main body of the novel or collection of short stories should comprise unpublished work, submissions will be accepted where no more than 25% of the work has been previously published. Manuscripts currently available for sale online, either in full or in significant proportion (i.e. more than 50% of the total manuscript) will be ineligible. Manuscripts either partially or wholly available online for no charge will be eligible.

2.4 Entrants must warrant that the entry is a complete original work of fiction and is entirely the author's own work; that it does not infringe any existing copyright, moral or other rights of any third party, contains nothing obscene, libellous, unlawful or defamatory of any living person or corporate body.

2.5 Memoirs, biographies and autobiographies are not eligible.

2.6 Entries must be in English.

2.7 Authors may submit more than one novel or collection of stories. An additional entry fee for each submission is required (see HOW TO ENTER below).

2.8 The Award is not open to employees of Peepal Tree Press, Ilkley Literature Festival and members of SI Leeds (the Award Partners) or anyone connected with the Award or their direct family members.

2.9 Entries that are submitted posthumously will not be eligible for the Award.

3. COPYRIGHT AND TERMS OF USE

3.1 By submitting a novel or collection of short stories to the Award the entrant acknowledges and agrees that excerpts (chosen by the Award Partners) of the winning, or other short-listed, novel or collection of stories may be read out or reproduced as part of the Award Partners’ promotion and documentation of the Award, including Award Partners’ marketing and publicity literature, events, and websites and as a feature of the 2012 Ilkley Literature Festival free of any fees or royalty payments.

3.2 The Award Partners undertake to ensure that copyright of all manuscripts entered for the Award is protected. Non short-listed manuscripts will be shredded.

4. JUDGING

4.1 The SI Leeds Literary Prize will be looking for the most original and engaging writing and will consider all entries on the basis of quality of prose and narrative voice. The Award aims to support and award excellence, creativity and originality.

4.2 Manuscripts will be judged anonymously, i.e. without knowledge of the author’s name, age or background. (Please see HOW TO ENTER below)

4.3 Judging of the Award will be as follows:

Stage 1: All entries will be read by a team of readers and will be sifted in accordance with the Award criteria. A long list of no more than 12 novels/collections of short stories will be put forward to the judging panel.

Stage 2: The judging panel will read all long-listed entries and will select a Short List of 6 outstanding novels/collections of short stories submitted for the Award.

Stage 3: The judging panel will further discuss and agree the winning, runner-up and third placed entries.

4.4 Shortlisted authors will be contacted personally by email or telephone.

4.5 The Judges’ decision is final and no correspondence can be entered into.

4.6 The judging will be fair and independent. The judging panel will be appointed by the Award Partners and will include a distinguished and experienced literary professional as its chair.

4.7 Any permitted reference to the Award by the shortlisted writers will be advised by the Award Partners.

5. HOW TO ENTER

5.1 Manuscripts must be sent by post together with the completed entry forms and entry fee. Manuscripts arriving by post without the completed entry forms or entry fee will not be eligible.

5.2 Manuscripts should be sent in their entirety, i.e. as a finished novel or a finished collection of short stories. Incomplete works are not eligible. Authors may not add to or alter their manuscript after it has been entered for the Award.

5.3 Manuscripts must be submitted printed in double-spaced lines of 12 point font on single-sided A4 paper. Pages must be numbered.

5.4 The author’s name should not appear on the manuscript. Use the form provided to enter your name, title of novel or collection of short stories and contact details. Your manuscript will be logged against your name but will be judged anonymously.

5.5 Manuscripts will not be returned. Authors requiring an acknowledgement of receipt of their manuscript should enclose a stamped addressed envelope marked SI Leeds Literary Prize Acknowledgement. Proof of sending is not proof of receipt.

5.6 The Entry Fee for each manuscript submitted is £15.00 payable by cheque to SI Leeds.

5.7 Entries must arrive by Friday 1st June 2012. Late entries will not be eligible.

5.8 The Award Partners reserve the right to cancel the Award at any stage, if deemed necessary in its opinion, or if circumstances arise outside of its control. If cancelled, the entry fee would be refunded.

5.9 The Award Partners reserve the right to refuse entry to the Award for any reason at its absolute discretion.

5.10 By submitting a manuscript the entrant agrees to attend the Award ceremony in the event of being shortlisted for the Award and also, in the event of winning the Award, to undertake a mutually acceptable limited programme of activities to promote the Award. Entrants are responsible for all reasonable costs associated with attending the Award ceremony.

5.11 The entrant agrees that she will contribute where possible to press and publicity activities for the Award and hereby grant the Award Partners all necessary rights in her contribution for press/publicity activities for the Award

Download entry form >>

Download cover sheet >>

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: click here

Website: http://sileedsliteraryprize.wordpress.com/

Deadline: 16 July 2012

Multiculturalism, and the representation of it, has long presented challenges for the medium of comics (including manga and bande dessinée). Questions surround the ways in which characters of differing cultures and/or nationalities can and should be presented; answers to which have ranged from anthropomorphism to xenophobia. Issues also exist around the diversity of creators and characters, and the (lack of) visibility for characters that do not conform to particular cultural stereotypes. At Comics Forum 2012, the fourth event in the Thought Bubble conference series, we will attempt to draw out some of the complexities of this field in order to better understand both the problems and the achievements of the medium in dealing with multiculturalism.

Subjects for discussion may include, but are not limited to:

• Cultural diversity (or lack thereof) in comics, manga and bande dessinée
• Ways in which multiculturalism has been represented, visually and/or linguistically in comics
• Moves towards increasing the representation of particular cultural groups in comics, either as creators or characters (e.g. Milestone Comics)
• The modification of existing comics and properties to address new markets (e.g. Spider-Man: India)
• Controversial representations of cultures and relations between cultures (e.g. Tintin au Congo)
• The modification of existing works in new-media representations (e.g. the omission of Ebony White in the film version of The Spirit; the controversies surrounding Idris Elba’s role as Heimdal in Thor)

Proposals of 250 words are invited for talks of 15-20 minutes in length, and should be emailed along with a short biography (around 100 words) to Ian Hague (Department of History, University of Chichester) at: I.Hague@chi.ac.uk. The deadline for submission is 16/07/2012 and notification of acceptance or rejection will be emailed by or before 30/07/2012.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For enquiries/ submissions: I.Hague@chi.ac.uk

Website: http://comicsforum.org/

Deadline: 18 June 2012

(Note: The competition is free to enter and open to anyone in the world over the age of 16.)

The 2012 William Soutar Writing Prize has been launched and this year the competition is open to short story writers. This is the tenth year of the prize which awards poets and short story writers in alternate years and is run by Perth & Kinross Council's Libraries and Information Services in memory of Perth's most famous poet.

The first prize is a week's writing course at one of the prestigious Arvon writers' centres, worth around £600 and there is a second prize of £100. There will also be a special local award of £50 for the best short story by a resident of Perth and Kinross. Entries this year will be judged by writer and broadcaster Billy Kay.

GUIDELINES

This is an annual competition now in its tenth year, alternating between poetry and short stories. For 2012, short stories may be entered. Entry is free and open to anyone in the world over the age of 16, but you are limited to two short stories.

JUDGE: Billy Kay

PRIZES

• First Prize A writing course at Moniack Mhor, the Arvon Centre in Scotland (for which the normal fee would be approximately £600), or another of the UK Arvon Centres. The winner will be announced on Writers’ Day, Saturday 25 August 2012
• Second Prize £100 Book Tokens
• Local Prize £50 of Book Tokens will also be awarded for the best work from a resident of Perth and Kinross

• The deadline for all entries is Monday 18 June 2012
• All entrants must be 16 years of age or over
• Stories must not exceed 2000 words
• A maximum of two stories may be submitted
• All entries must be typed or word processed, on one side of the paper only
• Two copies of each sort story submitted must be provided
• Entries may be in English or Scots
• The competition is open to anyone throughout and outside the United Kingdom
• All entries are judged anonymously and the name of the writer must not appear on the manuscript
• Stories must not have been previously published
• Competition entries cannot be returned - please do not include a pre-paid envelope
• The Judge’s decision is final and no correspondence can be entered into
• Alterations cannot be made to stories once they have been submitted
• Entries must be accompanied by an entry form
• There is no entry fee for this competition
• Local entries (writers living in Perth & Kinross at time of entry) can also be additionally entered for the local Soutar prize. They should tick the LOCAL box on the entry form
• It is the entrant’s responsibility to ensure that the above rules are adhered to

Failure to comply with the above rules will result in disqualification from the competition. The winner(s) will be notified a few days before the formal announcement on 25 August 2012. Unsuccessful entrants will not be individually notified. If a local entrant wins one of the main prizes, they will not also be eligible for the local prize.

The winning names will be posted on our website. The writers of the winning short stories grant Perth & Kinross Libraries and Information Services the right to use the stories in publicity material for one year from 25 August 2012. The copyright of each story remains with the author.

Download: entry form

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For submissions: return your completed form and two copies of each submission to Jill Mackintosh, AK Bell Library, York Place, Perth PH2 8EP, UK

Website: http://www.pkc.gov.uk/

Deadline: 18 June 2012

30 Nigeria House is part of the London 2012 Festival, the spectacular 12-week nationwide celebration running from 21 June until 9 September 2012 bringing together leading artists from across the world with the very best from the UK.

Throughout the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Theatre Royal Stratford East will be celebrating the diversity of Nigerian culture.

Now, Theatre Royal Stratford East announces an exciting opportunity for new, emerging and existing UK-based artists of Nigerian descent and artists residing in Nigeria.

This new project, 30 Nigeria House, aims to assist 30 artists in developing a new piece of work through an award of £3,000 each.

The chosen 30 will attend the launch of the Nigeria Hospitality House (Nigeria House) for the London 2012 Games and 8 of these artists will participate in an event to share their work as part of Nigeria House, which is located at the theatre in August.

We are looking for fresh and dynamic new voices, working in the performing arts. Submissions are welcomed from the art forms of theatre, dance, film animation, poetry, spoken word, and music.

30 Nigeria House also reflects Nigeria's recognition of its talented people and aspirations to develop the Creative Industries in Nigeria, which are strongly emerging sectors.

The Federal Government of Nigeria therefore, through one of its key development agencies, has developed an artistic collaboration with Theatre Royal Stratford East.

As the world looks to Stratford during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Theatre Royal Stratford East continues its commitment to new writing and new artists by creating an international platform, seeking original ideas from artists from the UK and abroad.

Deadline for submissions: 11June 2012 at 5pm (1700 hours) British Summer Time (BST)

HOW TO APPLY

o make a submission to 30 Nigeria House please fill out the form here and send to info@30nigeriahouse.com. You will need to provide several ways of for us to contact you.

SUPPORTING MATERIALS

Your submission may be supported by up to 8 photographs (max size 1mb each) or a 3-minute video (max size 20mb).

If you wish to send photographs, please include them as attachments in your email.

If you wish to send a video, you can do so using one of the following methods:

• Provide a YouTube or Vimeo link
• Send the file* via www.wetransfer.com to the email above clearly stating your name and project title.
• Send a DVD to the below address clearly stating your name and project title:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What kind of piece can I create? We accept submissions from the following art forms: theatre, dance, film animation, poetry, spoken word and music. You must have complete ownership of your artwork. The work must be original, submitted in English, and not a conflict of any other commissions at time of submission.

Who can apply? Anyone of Nigerian descent resident in the UK or Nigeria is eligible to apply.

Are there any age restrictions? You must be between the ages of 18 to 35 years old.

Who will judge the applications? All applications will be considered, but only 30 award recipients will be chosen by a panel of judges.

What is the prize? Winning applicants will receive an award of £3,000 each to further develop their artwork. 8 of these artists will be selected to share their art at Theatre Royal Stratford East in August 2012.

How long will I have to wait to find out if I have got through? Successful applicants will be notified by 18 June 2012.

IMPORTANT DATES

18 June: Deadline for submissions 5pm / 1700 hours British Summer Time (BST)

25 June: Successful applicants notified

The 30 award recipients will need to be available on the following dates, if asked:

19 July: The launch and opening of Nigeria House at Theatre Royal Stratford East in partnership with New World Nigeria

7 & 8 August: Sharing of selected finalists’ projects

Download: submission form

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: contact Jo Melville, Producer - 30 Nigeria House, at info@30nigeriahouse.com

For submissions: Jo Melville, Producer, 30 Nigeria House, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Gerry Raffles Square, London, E15 1BN

Website: http://www.30nigeriahouse.com/

Deadline: 28 May 2012

The 2012 Guardian First Book Award, in association with Waterstones, is now open for entries from publishers.

The Guardian First Book Award is unique amongst book prizes for rewarding new writing across fiction and non-fiction, and for being judged by both a celebrity panel and readers from Waterstones book groups.

The annual award - established in 1999 and now in its 14th year - is open to all first-time authors writing in English, or translated into English, across all genres, and aims to recognise and reward the finest new writing talent. The winner will receive a £10,000 prize plus an advertising package in the Guardian and the Observer.

Previous winners of the Guardian First Book Award include Zadie Smith and Jonathan Safran Foer. Last year's winner was Siddhartha Mukherjee for his book, The Emperor of All Maladies.

Once again the Guardian has partnered with Waterstones to give readers the opportunity to shape the outcome of the award by taking part in regional store-based reading groups.

The judging panel to decide the shortlist will be chaired by Lisa Allardice, editor of Guardian Review, who said: "It's already looking like a stellar year for first books. I've no doubt that the 2012 Guardian First Book Award will be as hotly contested a competition as last year, and I'm very much looking forward to reading the submitted titles."

The deadline for entries is Monday 28 May. The longlist will be announced in August, the shortlist unveiled in October and the overall winner will be announced in December.

QUICK GUIDELINES

• Submissions are only accepted from publishing houses and publishers may submit up to two titles
• All books entered must have a registered ISBN number or equivalent
• Submitted books must be published between 1 Jan 2012 and 31 December 2012, and we will accept bound proofs
• All entries must be submitted by Monday 28 May

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: publishers with enquiries about the awards should email firstbook@guardian.co.uk

Website: http://www.guardian.co.uk

Deadline: 28 May 2012

(Note: Allowed languages in the 'Other Tongue' category are Spanish, French, German, Italian, Urdu, Mandarin or Arabic.)

Mother Tongue / Other Tongue is open to all mainstream and supplementary secondary schools in the North West and pupils can enter as individuals or groups of any size. It is, in effect, two separate competitions.

MOTHER TONGUE

Entries for this category will be in two parts:

The first part is the poem, song or lullaby. This can be an original, creative piece, written in any language at all (except English). It can also be a poem or song that is ‘remembered’ – i.e. something in your Mother Tongue that you recall, or that has been told to you by a relative.

The second part of the entry will be a short written explanation of the first part. This will be either a translation, or an account of why the entrant has chosen to share this piece i.e. why it is important to them or the person who told it to them. This part of the entry must be written in English but pupils can be helped to scribe or edit this by teachers, parents, carers or by friends. We welcome jointly-written entries.)

OTHER TONGUE

Entries for this category will be a single, original poem, written in a language that is being studied in school and is not the first language spoken by the entrant. This must be an original piece of work, giving pupils the opportunity to be creative with their Other Tongue. Allowed languages in this category are: Spanish, French, German, Italian, Urdu, Mandarin or Arabic.

PRIZE GIVING CEREMONY

The best entries will be illustrated and published. Posters of the winning pieces will be displayed at the Manchester Children’s Book Festival Family Fun Day on June 30th, 2012. There will also be a prize giving ceremony with Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, in the Capitol Theatre between 3 and 4pm with a special performance by the Huaxia Chinese School. This will form part of a wider celebration of other languages and cultures.

Download: entry cover sheet

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: email youngprize@theportico.org.uk or call +44 (0)161 236 6785

Website: http://www2.hlss.mmu.ac.uk

Deadline: 15 June 2012

The AMYA (Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association)Young Muslim Writers Awards was established in 2012 and seeks to support and encourage the creative and imaginative pens of young budding Muslim writers. It is further hoped that entrants, the thinkers of tomorrow, will be spurred on by the awards to use their pens to promote peace, respect and dignity – all essential qualities of a practising Muslim.

SHORT ESSAY BRIEF

In these testing and fast moving times, when the various news mediums are becoming more and more condensed, it is important to be economical with what one writes. Efficient writing and the skilled use of simple language to convey powerful messages is, therefore, of paramount importance.

This year’s competition, therefore, invites members of AMYA UK to submit a powerful short piece of writing on a contemporary topic and in a language which is accessible to the general reader of average understanding.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

1. All entries must be in English.

2. Entries must be the original and unpublished work of the writer and not infringe any copyright.

3. The piece must be written on a topic that is of contemporary importance to the Western reader.

4. It should propose solutions to the issues highlighted which are practical and realistic.

5. Where possible and relevant, the entry should seek to forward the Islamic perspective regarding both the problem and solution, all the while keeping the terminology simple and understandable (e.g., Arabic terms should be kept to an absolute minimum and the respective accurate English translations of such terms should be used as much as possible).

6. The piece should be constructed as though it is written for a popular broadsheet or current affairs periodical.

7. It should be between 1,000 – 1,200 words (roughly 2 A4 pages) and contain no footnotes or endnotes.

8. Entries must be submitted by midnight, Friday 15th June 2012, in Microsoft Word format (e.g., .doc, .docx.).

9. Entries must be submitted electronically to sultanulqalam@khuddam.org.uk.

10. Entries which fail to adhere to any of the above requirements will have marks deducted or, in extreme cases (i.e., excessively long entries), be withdrawn from the competition.

WHAT TO WRITE ABOUT

Writers have absolute freedom in choosing the topic of their submission provided that it meets the above criteria. Though by no means exhaustive, below are some suggested topics:

1. Impact of increasing unemployment on British youth and future generations.

2. Employment and the Social Security system.

3. Is secularism compatible with Islam?

4. The rise of right-wing movements in Europe.

5. Money, greed and the financial crisis.

6. Is freedom of speech without boundaries?

7. Can Sharia law add benefit to the West?

8. The future of the Euro and the European single Market economy.

9. Sustainable energy development.

10. Information technology, social networking and new societal norms.

11. The female right to self determination in Muslim countries; ideals and realities.

12. CERN, particles and God.

13. Islamic finance versus Capitalism.

14. Can a third world war be avoided?

15. British and Muslim: clarity or confusion?

16. What is the Muslim led contribution to European culture and civilisation.

MARKING

Submitted finalist entries will be assessed anonymously by a panel of four assessors heralding from a number of varied and relevant backgrounds, namely:

• Catrin Nye, BBC Journalist
• Dr. Zia Shah, Editor; Muslim Sunrise
• Ahmad Salam, Economist
• Adam Walker, National Spokesperson, AMYA UK; Chairman MASQ UK

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries/ submissions: sultanulqalam@khuddam.org.uk

Website: http://m4h.amya.org.uk/

Africa4U' is all about whats happening in Reading and the UK from an African view point, this also entails events taking place, success stories, people making a difference and projects available aimed at encouraging social integration and community awareness.

If you are of African descent living in Berkshire and have a story, Tony Tokunbo Eteka Fernandez would like to hear from you. If you are an African or Caribbean living in the UK with an interest in the Reading area and have a story, he would like to hear from you also. Ring him on 07882809005. You can also text into the show while he is on air on 07521683940

Every Tuesday from 6pm, he will be interviewing role models, community leaders, professionals, creative artists, music critics and social entrepreneurs who are making huge difference to the lives of others in Berkshire. He will also be playing music from different countries in Africa.

To log on to the show every Tuesday at 6pm, you can visit http://www.reading4u.co.uk/ and listen live.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: call 07882809005

Website: http://www.reading4u.co.uk/